Module 3 – Assessing Collaborative Efforts

According to Siemans, there are four different types of assessments that instructors can use when evaluating student work in an online classroom environment.  Instructors can use learning management systems, they can have students assess their peers, students can give, and receive, feedback from their online communities, and students can contribute to their own assessments (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008).  To keep assessment fair and equitable, thoroughly developed rubrics should be designed that clearly outline student expectations.   Well defined rubrics not only assist educators in assessing students, but they allow students to assess their own work and keep track of their own progress (Palloff & Pratt,  2005).

Non-participation in an online class is something that an instructor will encounter.  Often students take online classes because they assume they will be able to work independently (Palloff & Pratt, 2005).  To get students to participate in their learning communities the instructor may need to offer a variety of activities to ensure the non-participating students do not lose their individuality in ‘cyberspace’.  There are two ways that Siemens suggests that they can do this; 1) change the assessment model, and 2) have the students engage in a learning community that is high functioning (Laurette Education, 2008).  Other members of the student’s group should also make attempts to reach out to the non-participating student.  This can be done by contacting them through email to try to discover the source of their apprehension, and to clear up any misconceptions they might have.  The instructor should be brought into the situation when the group leader no longer thinks he/she can effectively deal with it (Palloff & Pratt, 2005).  Assessment of the student who does not participate should be no different than any of the other student assessments.  The rubric being used will aid in evaluating the student in a fair and consistent way.

The world outside of the classroom is moving away from individuals working alone and toward groups of individuals working collaboratively (Marcinek, 2011), therefore teaching students to master this skill is further preparing them to live and work in the 21^st Century.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).  Assessment of collaborative

learning. Baltimore, MD: Author

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Learning communities.

Baltimore, MD: Author

Marcinek, A. (2011, February 16). Importance of collaborative assessment in a 21^st

century classroom. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/

blog/collaborative-assessment-digital-classroom-social-media-tools

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities. San Francisco,

CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.